V. B. RAJU vs UNION OF INDIA & OTHERS

The Supreme Court upheld the validity of the trichotomy established by the High Court Judges (Conditions of Service) Act, 1954, affirming that it does not violate Articles 14, 221, and 314 of the Constitution. The Court clarified that High Court Judges drawn from different sources, including the Indian Civil Service, State Judicial Services, and the Bar, are not similarly situated regarding pension and retirement benefits, thus justifying reasonable classification. The interpretation of 'member of the Indian Civil Service' in section 15(a) of the Act was deemed applicable to existing situations, ensuring that such judges could be distinguished for pension purposes.